Dispensing containers are used in a variety of industries for the dispensing of various liquid products. For example, in the beauty industry, products such as shampoo, conditioner, creams and lotions are all packaged in flexible containers having a dispensing closure mounted thereon. Such dispensing containers are also used in the food industry for various condiments, such as ketchup, mayonnaise, and syrups.
One important aspect to the mounting of a dispensing closure in the food industry is sealing of the closure immediately after filling. After filling, containers for products, such as syrup, are often subjected to warm water baths to wash away excess product, dust, and the like, and may be further subjected to cooling baths to cool product that is filled while hot. For example, chocolate syrup is filled into the containers at a temperature of about 180° F. After filling, the dispensing closure is mounted onto the container while the product is still hot, and the container is run through a warm bath to wash of excess product that may have spilled onto the outside of the container. The container can thereafter be run through a cooling bath to cool the container to a suitable temperature for further processing. After filling of the container and mounting of the dispensing closure, it is imperative to keep the interior head space of the dispensing closure clean so as to present an aseptic and sterile appearance to the end consumer when opened. In the past, it had been found that rinsing water often infiltrated the seal of the cap on the closure leaving behind residue inside the cap.
To remedy the problem several manufacturers have provided drain openings around the periphery of the cap so that the water can drain out quickly after rinsing. However, this promotes the infiltration of water into the head space, and can actually result in increased levels of residue inside the cap.
Other manufacturers have attempted to keep the water out by providing a complete seal around the cap. However, there has always been a weak spot in the seal in the vicinity of the cap hinge. It is generally known that as the volume of air inside the head space of the cap begins to cool, the air volume shrinks, and creates a small vacuum that tends to draw water inwardly into the interior of the cap.
Another aspect to mounting of dispensing closures is alignment of the dispensing spout with respect to the shape of the container onto which the dispensing closure is mounted. It has been an engineering challenge to provide dispensing closures having a spout that aligns perfectly with the container shape when mounted in a robotic filling line environment. One remedy to the alignment issue has been to place the dispensing orifice at the exact center of the dispensing closure. However, this forces changes in the hinge structure of the cap thus creating external alignment issues with respect to the orientation of the hinges.
It is thus imperative to provide a dispensing closure with a complete peripheral seal around the outer circumference so that no water can infiltrate into the head space of the cap during processing, particularly during cooling, and to provide a dispensing closure that is universally oriented with respect to the shape of the plastic container onto which it is mounted.
Another problem that manufacturers have sought to solve is preventing spillage of the liquid contents of the container from onto the surface of the dispensing closure. This problem is especially difficult to solve because of the many variables involved, including accounting for the viscosity of the liquid at different temperatures and pressures and accounting for how the consumer will use/misuse the container during dispensing. In particular, liquids tend to form a bubble on the inside of the dispensing closure called a meniscus. When the meniscus pops, liquid is ejected through the dispensing orifices and spatters the dispensing closure resulting in an unsightly appearance. Therefore, there is a need for a dispensing closure design that prevents the formation of a meniscus and minimizes the spattering of the liquid contents of the container during dispensing.
Further complicating the problem is the tendency for the excess water in some liquids to separate from the liquid to form a syneresis fluid on top of the liquid. This process occurs frequently in food products, such as mustard and ketchup. If the consumer fails to agitate the contents of the container prior to dispensing, thus re-suspending the syneresis fluid in the liquid, the syneresis fluid will be dispensed first with undesirable results. In the case of ketchup or mustard, which is typically being dispensed on other food, the result is that the food gets wet. Manufacturers have tried all sorts of various dispensing closure configurations to decrease spillage, all with limited success. Therefore, there is a need for a dispensing closure that capture the syneresis fluid and prevents the dispensing thereof.